Doors



F. A. PURDY March 1, 1960 DOORS Filed June 7, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR FpEpEP/cKAPunD Y V LZ ATTORNEY Fl A. PURDY March 1, 1960 DOORS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June '7, 1956 INVENTOR FPEDEP/CK/(PUPDY BY 7 6% ATTORNEY KHIIIIIIIIHIIIIKIH F. A. PURDY March 1, 1960 DOORS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 7', 1956 INVENTOR FPEDEP/CKA Pup]: Y 2 w ATTORNEY F.' A. PURDY March 1, 1960 DOORS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 7, 1956 ml FPEDERIcKAPUPDY March 1, 1960 F. A. PURDY 2,926,727

' DOORS Fi led June 7, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet e *FJE JEJ.

BY M

ATTORNEY United ews Pate 0.

The present invention relates to doors and is more particularly directed toward overhead garage doors of the curtain type.

The invention contemplates a novel door structur made up of a plurality of tubular. longitudinally interconnected slats hinged to permit door movement'between overhead horizontal tracks in the garage interior and vertical tracks mounted to the opposite doorway jambs. The slats are adaptable to plastic fabrication and therefore provide a lightweight; sturdy, decorative and tern.-

perature insulating door.

In advancing the art of motor-driven door apparatus suitable for garage doors, it is a further object of the invention to provide a dual pair of door-guiding tracks, one pair being mounted to extend horizontally and overhead along opposite interior side walls of the garage and the other pair being mounted to extend vertically outside the opposite doorway jambs, and guides mounted between the juxtaposed ends pfcorrelate'd tracks to provide a structure economical to fabricate and easy to install.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a system of diagonally crossin g overhead cables and springs defining a coaxialendless loop or chain mounted in the interior of the garage and serving to counter balance the door movement wherein the springs thereof aredesigned to stretch substantially the full distance of overhead door travel, thereby afiording lightweight and small diameter spring structure.

It is a further object of the instant invention to provide threadedly adjustable cable coupler structure oompleting the endless chain and threadedly adjustable tubular structure attaching the door couplers to the door, whereby simple coupler adjustment relieves the chain of slack and wherein the tubular structure may be threadedly adjusted so that the door may be set and maintained in proper alignment with the tracks therefor and with the doorway.

It is a further object of the present invention to save costs in garage length and ceiling height. Architects calculate costs on cubic footage. A garage built in as Todays longer cars require more end-room in the garage.

The present invention makes this end-room available with less cubic footage of construction cost. It uses end room up to a door that is outside the garage will rather than up to a door that is inside. Including the plank facing for wood overhead door, on the inner face of garage walls under todays practice, and including the thickness of door, and inwardprotrusionof bracing angle-irons on the door, all added to the thickness of front wall of garage, the saving in garage length is upwards of one foot and, in some stone-masonry, two feet. saving of end room also makes possible the adaptation of garages already constructed to accommodate the longer cars, wtihout reconstruction cost.

Other objects and advantages .will .become apparent from the following description.

2,926,727 rise-F Me'- Ti cc The accompanying drawings ShOW,f0I purposes of iilustrating the present'invention, one embodiment in which the invention may take form, together with the modification of certain parts, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of the invention rather than limiting thesame.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a garage with its roof removed to illustratethediagonally crossingend less chain and a multiple slat doorinclosed position- Figure 2 il1ustrates"the relative positidii' of the cor when moved overhead and into the garage inter r,

Figure 3 is a planview ofthe" garage with t; removed, illustrating the mounted metal. drive and' the relative position of the a ar and e'ndless chain for closed position inffull lines; to? open position dotted Figure 3a is a fragmentary view illustrating the crossing of the cables and'springs and the door'counter-b ingmechanisinl Figure 4 is a plan view at an enlarged scale showing the relative positions of the motor drivefjassembly, the horizontal track and supporting bracket therefor, the rockable" member mechanically linked to the door, thejsuppo'rting structure for the member, and portions of the endless chain, the door being closed;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, side elevation of the rear sheave taken in the direction of the arrow 5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a id elevat 19f hs ie Shaw Fi ure 4 and, in addition; illustrating relativepojsitions of th usie l t fid 49 Iris on? re T J Q 's the v i m of th @PRaI ill illustrated in retir n he dee n peer pester i t 8 is a enl ed, Partly nsec q new t ken a e ine 8% 1 ure? gdl hq m t e u ula s ru tur comp a soup erto the oor; 5 F i is'ays l" s cti an he l n l9.. o Fi er il h a ure 4, illustrating the roller also the cable drivej F u e i ie t y hq zsmel se ti n 9 the Figures 6 and 7.

Secured to the door jambs 21,and extending outwardly ,of them are Idoor side guides 2A; which form cal channels 214 disposed when: of the door jambs. ga rage structure par 'e's angle plates 25 at [the front t o whichgare' securedbrac-kets 26. It also carries brackets 27 at the rear. Horizontal tracks 28 extend between brackets 26 and 27. AT hood 29 extends downwardly and forwardly of the lintel'and across the'doorway, as.

indicatedin Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7. Relatively narrow rollers 30 are supported for rotation about coaxial, horizontal shafts 31 on opposite des of the garage and positionedadjacentto and int ate the juxtaposed oprlediipp'er ends of tracks open forward ends of "tracks 28. Theioca't'idn and size of rollers ,30 are such as to'permit themto serve as contact surfaces against which door D bearsasit'rnijves from one pair of tracksto the other. Each roller preferably receives a sound-deadeningwbelt 30', which"extends beyond the periphery of the metal of the roller. The slats 32 ((1-11, inclusive) are tubular, extruded door D between open and closed positions.

are suitably chosen so that the inwardly curved edge 35 may be pocketedrwithin the outwardly curved edge 36 of an adjacent slat. Adjacent slats 32 are thus hinged to swivel about their joined longitudinaledges. Door D is designed to travel, s lat by slat, over the rollers 30 between vertical and horizontal tracks 24 and 28. Slats with end closures 36 (Figure 10) may be provided if desired. The slats provide a cellular door with high thermal insulation value.

As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the curved edge 36 Iof the uppermost slat 3212 of the door D receives a tube 37. Rods 38 extend rearwardly from this tube adjacent its ends and carry adjusting nuts 39. These rods receive spacing tubes 40 and pass through cable couplers or yokes 41, 41a at eachside of the garage, and are se-,

cured to the couplers or yokes by nuts 42. Adjustment 'of the nuts 39 and 42 facilitates alignment of the door.

The front end of the cable coupler 41 (Figs. 6 and 7) is adjustably secured at 41' to a cable 43which passes about a power-driven pulley 44 carried by bracket 26, then diagonally across the garage (Fig. 1) about a rear sheave 45 carried by one of the brackets 27 and then forwardly to the rear end of coupler 41a. A similar cable 46, secured to the front end of coupler 41a passes about a sheave 47 carried by the other front bracket 26 diagonally across the garage about a rear sheave 48 and forwardly to the rear end of the cable coupler 41.

Coiled springs 49 and 50 have their front ends hooked to the brackets 26, 26 and their rear ends tied to the cables, as indicated at 51 in Figures 3 and 4. The cables are inside the springs as shown, and the sheave mounting is arranged so that the crossing springs are free of one another, as indicated in Figure 3a. When extended, the rear ends are near the rear sheaves, and, when slackened, the rear ends are forward, as indicated at 51a, Figure 3.

These springs are fully stretched when the door is closed and contract when the door is opened.

The power drive pulley 44 is a two-part pulley of the type shown and described in my application, Serial No. 290,859, filed May 31, 1952, now Patent No. 2,758,836. The upper part 52 is fixedly secured to a vertical countershaft 53 mounted in bracket 26, and the lower part 54 is slidably and rotatably mounted on the shaft. A spring 55 urges the pulley parts toward one another to grip the cable 43.

' A pulley 57, secured to the shaft 53 by a removable cotter pin or the like 57', receives a belt 58 drawn by a pulley '8 on motor 59, secured to the rear end of bracket 26. When the cotter pin 57' is removed, or the two-part power pulley 44 separates to release the cable '43, one can grasp the exposed faces of the slats of the closed door or pull on a rope 56 (Fig. 2) to actuate the As the door is made of plastic extrusions, it is very light, and, hence, the load on the counter-balancing springs is very low.

Where the door is installed without motor drive, a

extreme clockwise position. it will remain in this position during the opening movement of the door until a similar bracket 62 on slat 32b has engaged its under side. Then, the arm swings counter-clockwise to the full line position of Figure 7. The arm shifts during the completion of the door movement and is idle the rest of the time.

Suitable control apparatus, enclosed in a box, indicated at 63 and operable by a rocking arm, such as 60, is shown in my application, Serial No. 628,036, filed December 13, 1956. I

Figure 12 illustrates (in a manner similar to Figure 3) an arrangement'in which the cable system is above the level of the open door. Figure 13 is a side elevation of the same at a larger scale, similar to-Figure 7. The door is indicated at D as before. It moves back and forth through vertical channels similar to those previously shown and travels over the rollers 30 and along horizontal trackways 28' carried by brackets 27 and 27". Rods 37 and 38 and spacer '40 connect the upper or rear slat 32n of the door with inverted yokes 41", which extend above the horizontal do or guides 28. The cable grip pulley 44, drive shaft 53' and motor drive are located so that the pulley is above the level of the door instead of below. The cables 46 and 43 are the same as before. Brackets 27' are further to the rear than the corresponding brackets shown in Figure 3 and carry the rear sheaves '57. The yokes 41 (only one of which is shown) are connected to rear brackets 27' by contractile springs 51'. so as to apply tension to the cable system.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in. other forms and constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to be understood that the particular forms shown are but a few of these forms, and, various modifications and changes being possible, I do not other wise limit myself in anyway with respect thereto.

What is claimed is: a V i 1. In combination, a building having a-doorway provided with vertical guideways at the opposite sides of the doorway, substantially horizontal guideways spaced the same as the vertical guideways and extending rear wardly into the building from the top of. the vertical guideways, door-guiding surfaces interconnecting the corresponding vertical and horizontal guideways, a door having a plurality of horizontally extending portions hingedly connected together and shiftable from a vertical, doorway-closing position to a horizontal, doorway-opening position, and means for counter-balancin the door comprising a horizontally disposed continuous cable system with side portions parallel with the horizontal guideways and crossing diagonal portions so that the side portions move forwardly or rearwardly in unison, means connecting the top of the door with the side portions of the cable system, and retractable springs each having one end fixed and the other end attached to a portion of the cable system and arranged to balance the weight of the door.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the'springs are diagonally disposed, anchored near the front ends of the side portions of the cable system and connected to remote points on the diagonally extending portions of the cable system.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the springs are helical and the diagonal. portions of the cable system are inside the diagonally disposed springs so that the springs, when released, are supported by the cables.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein the diagonal portions of the cable with their surrounding springs are at different elevations and cross without interference.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein the vertical guideways are exterior of the doorway and connected to the building to enclose the ends of the door.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein the doorguiding surfaces between the vertical and horizontal guid ways a e freely revolvable rollers.

7. In combination, a building having a doorway and provided with vertical guideways at the opposite sides of the doorway, substantially horizontal guideways spaced the same as the vertical guideways and extending rearwardly into the building from above the top of the vertical guideways, door-guidingsurfaces interconnecting the corresponding vertical and horizontal guideways, a door having a plurality of horizontally extending portions hingedly connected together and shiftable above said guideways from a vertical, doorway-closing position, to a horizontal, doorway-opening position and means for counter-balancing the door comprising four sheaves mounted adjacent the horizontal guideways and for rotation about vertical axes near the front and rear ends of the horizontal guideways, a cable system about the four sheaves and including diagonal crossing portions and side portions, means connecting the ends of the uppermost door portion with the side portions of the cable system for shifting the door between open and closed position, and retractile springs each having one end fixed and the other end attached to a portion of the cable system and arranged to balance the weight of the door.

8. In combination a building having a doonvay and provided with vertical guideways at the opposite sides of the doorway, substantially horizontal guideways spaced the same as the vertical guideways and extending rearwardly into the building from above the top of the vertical guideways, door-guiding surfaces interconnecting the corresponding vertical and horizontal guideways, a door having a plurality of horizontally extending portions hingedly connected together and shiftable along said guideways from a vertical, doorway-closing position to a horizontal doorway-opening position, four sheaves mounted for rotation about vertical axes and disposed adjacent to the front and rear ends of the horizontal guideways, a cable system extending about the four sheaves and including diagonal crossing portions and side portions, driving connections between the side portions of the cable system and the ends of the door for shifting the door back and forth, one of said sheaves being a cable-gripping sheave, a power-driven shaft on which the cable-gripping sheave is mounted, and a reversible motor drivingly connected to the shaft.

9. The combination of claim 8, having a plurality of helical contractile springs disposed about corresponding portions of the cable system, the springs having fixed ends anchored adjacent the door in its closed position and movable ends secured to the cable system at points which move away from said anchored ends when the door is lowered.

10. A garage door comprising a series of slats flexibly hinged one to another, vertical door guides on either side of the doorway for holding the door in a vertical plane to close the doorway, horizontal door guides extending inwardly into the garage at either side of the doorway area for holding the door in a horizontal plane when the door is open, a roller on either side of the doorway directly to support and guide the slats as the door is moved from a vertical to a horizontal plane, and a cable and couplings therefore arranged as anrendless member, with segments thereof crossing diagonally from the front end of the horizontal door guide on either side of the doorway to the rear end of the horizontal door guide on the opposite side of the doorway area, sheave-wheels for positioning and guiding the cable, and means for connecting the cable couplings to the upper slat of the door to transmit movements of the couplings to the door, and for holding the door in proper relation to the doorway structure.

11. The combination of claim 10, having springs arranged to partially counter-balance the weight of the door each of said springs having one end thereof fixed and the other end thereof connected with the cable and being positioned parallel with the diagonally extending segments of the cable.

12. A garage having a doorway wherein the door is in the form of a plurality of flexibly interconnected, tubular slats extending horizontally across the doorway,

adjacent slats being flexibly hinged along their respective longitudinal edges, guide tracks extending vertically outside the opposite jambs of said doorway and adapted to receive the ends of said slats to maintain vertical alignment of said door, the upper end of said tracks being opened to permit door travel into and out of said tracks, horizontal guide tracks extending rearwardly from a point adjacent said doorway, said horizontal tracks being supported in a horizontal plane above the upper portion of said doorway and being adapted to receive the ends of said slats to maintain the opened door in said horizontal plane, the forward ends of said horizontal tracks being opened to permit door travel into and out of said tracks, a pair of rollers, each roller being disposed adjacent to and intermediate the forward end of a respective horizontal track and the upper end of an adjacent vertical track and thereby providing a guiding contact surface for said door during its travel, four cable sheaves mounted for rotation about vertical axes, two sheaves being near the upper ends of the vertical guide tracks and two rearwardly of the horizontal tracks, the sheaves being below the horizontal tracks, a pair of counter balancing helical springs, a pair of cables having portions thereof extending coaxially within said springs, a pair of cable couplers having forward and rear ends to which respective ends of said cables are attached, said sheaves, cables and couplers constituting an endless member, each cable engaging diagonally opposite sheaves, one end of each cable being fastened'to the forward end of one coupler and having the other end thereof fastened to the rear end of the other coupler, whereby said cables cross diagonally in a substantially horizontal plane, each coupler being disposed longitudinally along an axis parallel with a respective horizontal track and being adapted for movement between a pair of rear and forward sheaves, each spring surrounding the diagonal portion of a respective cable and having its forward end fastened to a respective forward bracket and having its other end tied to the cable surrounded thereby, each spring being fully extended and tied to its cable adjacent the rear sheave therefor when said door occupies its closed position, and means joining said couplers to the upper slat of the door whereby door travel is accompanied by corresponding movement of the endless member.

13. The combination of claim 1, wherein the cable system is above the level of the open door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 951,867 Wilson Mar. 15, 1910 1,008,988 Prouty Nov. 14, 1911 1,198,939 McDowell Sept. 19, 1916 1,908,634 Kendall May 9, 1933 1,936,300 Guss Nov. 21, 1933 1,949,805 McGary et al. Mar. 6, 1934 1,976,075 Johnson Oct. 9, 1934 2,007,020 Michael et al. July 2, 1935 2,030,873 Hungerford Feb. 18, 1936 2,607,410 McKee Aug. 19, 1952 

